My dd :heart: asked me that the other day, and I've been thinking about a ball winder. Do you really need the swift, too? (My mother used the back of a chair.) Both seem like a lot of money to spend on her mother. (She's still in college.)

If you have one, can you give me some suggestions as to price range, brand (knitpicks has one; where else?), etc. She's a big on-line shopper so I could direct her to KP or I'm sure e-bay.

Any input would be most useful.

Julie

11-04-2005, 01:11 PM

Personally I'd want a swift first, then a ball winder, because you cant use a ball winder with the back of a chair...unless it's a twirly office chair. But you can use a swift by itself (and hand-wind). That's just me though! I'm sure the others who actually have them will have some good insight! :D

JLC

11-04-2005, 01:12 PM

I have the Ball Winder from joann.com - I used a 50% off coupon and paid like $25 for it, plus shipping, but the shipping wasn't too bad. I'm lucky - my father made me a swift, so I got out of it pretty cheap. I got the swift first, then decided I needed the winder too. They have an umbrella swift at joann.com too, but I can't vouch for the quality.

Good luck!

Debbie

11-04-2005, 01:39 PM

I love my wool winder. ( I just can't call it the other thing ) I don't have a swift but the back of a chair works just fine. My Kid's Knit group gets lots of donated yarn and the kids LOVE using the wool winder to get their yarn ready for a new project. If they use skaines instead of center pull balls there is always a tangled mess. I also like winding the leftovers from a project ... so much nicer than the floppy mess of the last yards. AND ... I love the way the balls look .... there I said it .... and use them in my baskets as "decor". Yes, yarn is "decor" therefore it comes out of the household budget. And do not tell my dh any different! I would like a swift, but vote for wool winder to be first on you list.

Hildegard_von_Knittin

11-04-2005, 01:43 PM

OMG DEBBIE SAID BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

j/k :-)

I agree with julie, I want the swift before the winder. I've gotten pretty good at handwinding, but I can't can't can't can't wind w whole skein without ending up with a tangle somewhere.

Debbie

11-04-2005, 01:45 PM

:oops:

KellyK

11-04-2005, 05:20 PM

I got my BALL winder first, because I also wind nice flat BALLS from all of my regular skeins. I like the way the BALL winder BALLS sit and dont roll around on ya like regular BALLS tend to do.

(Just for YOU, Deb!! :heart: )

brendajos

11-04-2005, 05:23 PM

stop saying balls

KellyK

11-04-2005, 05:26 PM

How? We're talkin about BALL winders!

brendajos

11-04-2005, 05:29 PM

there is no need for this willy nilly over use of the word balls though!

hehe....

btw i just made my mother's stitch shop order some denise needles so mom can give them to me for christmas...lol

yes i have two sets of Boyes but i want the Denises now too!

Jan in CA

11-04-2005, 05:30 PM

I bet if I mentioned this to my DH he'd get a pained look on his face and cross his legs. Hehe :roflhard:

silveridger

11-04-2005, 05:34 PM

I got a nice wooden swift and the regular Royal ball winder here:

http://www.theoregonwoodworker.net/catalog/. Works great, folds up into a nice little storage bag when not in use. As a relatively new knitter with a tendency to buy yarn in hands, I just went ahead and bought the mama bear & winder set. Love them both.

Carol_OH

11-04-2005, 06:10 PM

I want the complete "Cadfael" set.

oh

:??

Debbie

11-04-2005, 08:42 PM

Well.... actually .... it would be a yarn winder or a round circular thing maker .... right ??????

feministmama

11-05-2005, 03:46 PM

Both seem like a lot of money to spend on her mother. (She's still in college.)